Sun of Shadows/Chapter 19
This is the nineteenth chapter in Sun of Shadows and the second in part three, Shadow. Eclipse If someone had told Geb half a year ago that he would one day face all five of Elysia's Keepers at once, he would have called the person crazy. Even now, when this very scenario was happening, he found it hard to believe it wasn't a dream. He had never even seen Terrai outside of his cave. And yet they were here now, all of them - and had their eyes fixed on Geb and his friends. Startled, Geb realized that his friends were looking at him. Of course, he was probably the best when it came to talking to authority figures, objectively speaking. And the others still saw him as a leader, for whatever reason. But what should he say? How did you talk to five Keepers at once? "Greetings," he said. Fair enough. "I remember you," Terrai grunted happily into his head. "And your little friend. So you really managed to find the chosen one." "They are a remarkable group," Acquois put in. "Courageous, determined, and with the heart in the right place. Elysia needs more Elmen like them." "Do you speak for all of them?" That was Fuocith's voice. "Because Shadows don't count as honorable. Especially not if they're also the son of a shameless barbarian." "My father is worse than the Shadows." Despite the touchy subject, Nergal managed to keep a calm tone. "I've done things I regret, but they have nothing to do with Gerra. A Keeper like you should be able to tell us apart." He said nothing about his Shadow side and Geb suspected why. It wasn't a good idea to tell Keepers that you were voluntarily staying like this by now. Aricel eyed the Elmen suspiciously, especially Iris, as Geb noticed. Something had occured to his friend, he recognized that by her expression. Did the Keeper suspect something? "Very well," the bird said. "But why are you here? This is not a place for insignificant Elmen." "Because I want them to be." Perry flapped his wings until he was on eye level with the Keepers. He looked almost like a fly compared to them - but no Elm would dare to equate with a Keeper like that. "They are my friends," Perry announced loud enough for everyone to hear. "And I want them to accompany me to Umbrath." "The Shadows will tear them to pieces," Fuocith said disturbingly matter-of-factly. "It's better they stay on the mainland." Nergal stepped closer to the Keeper. "We'll fight," he explained. "Distract the Shadows so Hyperion can focus on his opponent." "After all, we won't kill anyone if it can be prevented," Five agreed. "One also fights better in a group - even Hyperion," Sedna said. Geb still wasn't eager to use violence. At first, of course, he would talk to the Shadows who, if Khya was right, actually didn't intend to kill anyone either. Was that what the others were talking about? Did they just want to be with Perry to prevent Lumeon or anyone else from harming the Shadows? The Keeper wouldn't spare them, no matter what he had claimed hours ago. The friends were their only hope. The only hope of the Shadows. Geb would have laughed if it wasn't reality. "I wouldn't have brought them here if I didn't agree with them," Lumeon said now. "They will accompany us." With these words the discussion was over. The Keepers began talking to each other, using thought waves that they could only exchange among themselves, at least it looked like they sat in silence, gesturing nonetheless. Geb would have liked to know what they were talking about - but maybe it was better not to know. Above all, he couldn't make himself look suspicious, so he went to his friends, whom Perry had joined now as well. "Impressive performance up there," Nergal told him. "I would've loved to have stared Fuocith in the face myself." "It's still great that you didn't get angry," Ani said, and Geb silently agreed. Nergal was really getting better. "What was that earlier?", he asked Iris, who kept looking at the Keepers all the time, as if to make sure they weren't being watched. Now she turned to him, her eyes sparkling excitedly. "I think I know what Lumeon's up to," she announced in a low voice. Already she had everyone's guaranteed attention. "Astraia's right, the prophecy is a lie. Lumeon came up with it after he learned about the solar eclipse." "You sound pretty certain," Nergal said. "Go on." Iris nodded. "It all makes sense what Astraia said. She only stayed alive this long because she wanted to see what the tribes in our time think of Lumeon - and I believe that's the point." Ani also remembered. "She said that even the tribes back then had been worshiping him less than at first. I can imagine that's true... especially with the Impure tribes that had just come to be." "But Lumeon is still the most powerful of all Keepers," Geb objected. "And the tribes know that." "Yeah, but they don't care anymore. You saw the pictures of the Ancient Civilization. At that time they paid homage to him and the Tribe of Light, but now..." Iris searched for the right words. "Now they have their own Keepers and their own magic. They're like gods - that's why we're named after them. None of our ancestors would have thought it possible to defeat a Keeper on their own. But we really could, the Atsanik are the proof. We wouldn't need the Tribe of Light." Sedna's gaze became darker than usual. "Lumeon is aware of that. The prophecy is his way to help his tribe return to its old greatness." "No wonder he can't stand us," Five commented. "We don't belong to his oh so great tribe." But Iris's thoughts were elsewhere again. "At first he was the chosen one of his own prophecy, because the rest of his tribe was useless at the job. But with Perry, he had an even better Hero of Light, because he wasn't just an Elm, but a child. You've heard Aricel: That would be an absolute tour de force. A true miracle that would be remembered for centuries to come. So he told Perry who knows what, no matter how far away it was from the truth. Because if that came to light, everything would be over." Perry remained quiet. He had been listening silently the whole time, but now he wasn't just listening aynmore. He stared at nothing, the confusion and bitterness in his eyes was unbearable for Geb. He didn't want to imagine what Perry was thinking about and how terribly disturbing all of this had to be for him. It was Sura who intervened, "If Lumeon bad... is Umbrath good?" They all froze. Sura probably hadn't understood much of the conversation, but exactly what it was all about. That to which none of them knew an answer. Were the Shadows even right in the end? Wasn't this exactly what Khya had warned them about all the time? The thought of the girl pierced his heart. If only she was alive... and not only that, but here with them. Right now he would have given so much to be able to talk with her about everything. To actually listen to her talk about Lumeon, which he and his friends had dismissed as lies. "I don't know," he admitted with a heavy heart. "There's no way we could know." "But what are we supposed to do now?", Karzelek asked, nervously running his fingers through Four-Leaf's fur again and again. "How long can we still pretend we're on Lumeon's side? When he notices what we think, he'll do the same to us as to..." He didn't go on, but he didn't have to for them to understand. Nergal grimaced. "We keep going until Umbrath awakes. We need to find out what kind of personality he is - maybe then it'll be easier to decide what to do about Lumeon." They hesitated, but little by little they all nodded. Geb, no, each of them knew in what way they had never imagined things had changed. Lumeon, who had symbolized the good for centuries, was far from being as pure as the legends claimed, on the contrary. He who was to give them safety was a threat. Only Perry didn't move. Didn't dare decide. "I'm going to sleep," he announced, even though the sun had just begun to set. "I have to gather my strength for tomorrow." Already he had risen in the air and flew to a single tree near the shore, where he finally lay down. "We should all do that," Sedna muttered, who had watched him leave. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day." --- Geb awoke with a delicious scent reaching his nostrils. He sniffed in confusion before he opened his eyes - and looked into Nergal's red-and-black face that didn't seem as grim as usual. The corner of his mouth even went up a little. "Good morning," Nergal said, holding out to him the source of the smell, a skewer of grilled meat. "I got you breakfast. You don't mind meat, do you?" "Uh, no," Geb stammered, accepting the skewer in a daze. Was this a dream? Why was Nergal so friendly? "Thanks." "No problem." Moments passed where none of them said anything. But finally Nergal opened up. "I also put some away for the others. But I wanted to thank you personally... you know. For everything." When Geb didn't reply, too surprised to, he continued, "It really means a lot to me that you're all here. Not because of Gerra or the prophecy... but in general. That you've never stopped believing in me... or kept starting to over and over again, whichever. Even though I gave you every reason to hate me. I'm sorry." Geb beamed at him. Never in his life would he have thought that Nergal himself would apologize for his behavior - or maybe Ani had made him do so, but that didn't matter at the moment. As surprising as Nergal's words were, however, Geb also knew that he himself was clearly the best choice when it came to forgiving the Fire Elm. He had almost done that anyway... and Nergal knew that. He had deliberately decided on Geb. "No problem," Geb nodded. "I think it's great of you to apologize. But I haven't really been angry at you for a while now. There are others who would love to hear your apology." Nergal stared at him. "You mean..." "Yeah. For example, Perry would be happy if you apologized to him. Maybe Iris and Sedna too... just anyone you've treated badly." "But that's different than just talking about it to you. Your friends hate me." "Then show them they have no reason to." The Fire Elm grimaced, but nodded. "Maybe you're right. I should talk to the others... but first I want to survive all of this. It'll start soon." Geb let his eyes wander. Some of the others were already waking up, clearly confused about the food Nergal had brought them, but others were still asleep. Even the Keepers. "Strange that Terrai and Fuocith are here," he said. "How are they supposed to get to Crescent Island if they can't swim or fly?" Nergal laughed; a sound that you didn't get to hear often. "You forget that they're Keepers, Geb. Pretty much the embodiment of all magic. They're capable of things that we could accomplish only as a whole tribe, if at all." He had to realize that that was true. After all, it had been the Keepers who formed the continents! They would hardly let a little water stop them. Eventually everyone was awake and Lumeon, as majestic as he had been the day before, looked at them with cold eyes. "We're leaving," he announced. "Acquois will carry the Elmen. Hyperion - you come with Aricel and me." The boy bowed his head. "As you wish." Geb was a little relieved to travel with Acquois. This Keeper radiated peace and wisdom, and Geb felt safer near him. The others, too, seemed to think so, they didn't hesitate as they climbed Acquois's back. The worried looks they exchanged were above all about Lumeon, Geb knew. Even Nergal had no problems with the Keeper of Water. Acquois began to move and Geb was astonished that he didn't move directly away from the others, but took a slightly laterally offset detour. Before he could wonder about it, he already saw the reason: Terrai's magic. The Keeper of Earth made solid ground rise out of the ocean, which produced mighty waves, but Acquois prevented them from reaching the Elmen on his own back. Nergal gave Geb a grin. He had been right about the Keepers. Bit by bit Terrai and Fuocith were creating their own bridge right up to Crescent Island. "Why not like that?", Sura asked. The Ice Elmin and her mammoth were certainly used to solid ground, of course they preferred a rocky path to Acquois's back. Conveniently, the thought language of a Keeper was the same for every creature. "It's a long way to Crescent Island. And forgive me for putting it this way, but I think Lumeon also wants to make sure you won't get away." "Who'd have thought," Iris mumbled, who refrained from flying with Shimmer for reasons she had just explained to Five. The Keepers were going so fast that the two would have easily lost them. Only Perry, who flew with Lumeon and Aricel, actually seemed to be able to keep up with them, certainly with magic at work. "Something else," Ani said, she sounded uncertain. "What exactly is going to happen? I mean, how can Umbrath..." Geb looked expectantly at Sedna. Only then did he realize that she had never shared her knowledge of the eclipse with anyone. He could have been mad at her, but in the end it was nothing but interesting additional information. That her friends didn't know that meant nothing. Had the eclipse not even been Perry's reason to talk to Sedna? Had he really just wanted to spend time with her and arranged it in his own way, with a supposedly important excuse? Geb couldn't help it, he had to smile. Perry really was a peculiar boy. Sedna's voice brought him back to the present. "What'll happen is a solar eclipse. The moon moves in front of the sun, exactly between it and us. That means everything is completely covered in darkness except for one last ring of light." "Whereat the moon's shadow will land on Umbrath's prison," Acquois added. "He is only keeping Elysia's shadow magic - that of the moon is strong enough to free him." Sedna nodded. "As beautiful as the light ring will look, you shouldn't look at it directly. I don't think Lumeon is still going to warn us." "Warn us about what?", Karzelek asked, frightened. He hadn't seen the sky for most of his life, he had no idea what it was capable of. And frankly, Geb hadn't either. "Only in the short moments of complete occlusion is it safe to look directly at the sun and the moon. However, if you do so before or after, when the moon is moving towards and away from the sun, you're very likely to go blind." The way she said it sounded as if she herself had already experienced such an eclipse and its consequences. But when she noticed the shocked looks of the others, she managed a compassionate smile. "It's actually pretty nice during the occlusion. After all, you can see the stars in the middle of the day." "The question is for how long," Iris said. "I mean, Umbrath is freed during the eclipse. That'll be it with the light." Geb grimaced. She really didn't have to have reminded him right now. "Let's wait," he just said. "Nothing is decided yet." The problem was, he didn't know how exactly he meant that sentence. Whose side was he on? Lumeon's? Umbrath's? Light and shadow had been so hard to tell apart in the last few hours. He stopped pondering when Acquois came to a halt. And not only him: All the other Keepers had settled on Terrai's now somewhat widened strip of land, Lumeon as well. And Perry. They all looked expectantly at the horizon, so Geb followed them with his eyes... and froze. A pitch-black hole gaped right where the sky and the water met. The others had noticed, too. Sura murmured something in Kiujak, some others had their mouths open. "Is Crescent Island over there?", Karzelek asked quietly. "And do we have to go there?" As always, Acquois remained completely calm, the gentle rustle of his voice reassured Geb. "Don't worry. None of us will have to enter this place of everlasting darkness. We will wait for Umbrath here." Five peered to the horizon with new interest. "Why is it always dark there? Because the Shadows live there?" "Rather the other way around," Iris guessed, and Nergal rolled his eyes. When he saw Sedna's amused look, Geb knew why: Iris hadn't been there at the time, but she had reminded Nergal of a conversation he had had with Sedna months ago about the origins of Mount Ember. "The darkness stems from the fact that Umbrath was buried there," Acquois explained. "Crescent Island is the crater that remained... and its magic an unfortunate waste product." "And why don't we go there?" Nergal asked. "Is Lumeon afraid of the dark?" Nergal wouldn't have been able to say that to the other Keepers, but Acquois remained factual. "Maybe not that. But he knows that the island will be destroyed when Umbrath rises." So it was better to watch from a safe distance. "Fine," Nergal said, crossing his arms without taking his eyes off the shadowy spot. "Then I guess it's time to wait." And they did. Geb had no idea if hours or minutes had passed, but at some point Lumeon began to get restless. Again and again he shifted his weight and didn't look at Crescent Island, but at the sun. Could he feel the darkness was coming? Could he maybe even see it? Sedna's warnings certainly weren't meant for the Keeper of Light, he could probably watch exactly how the moon moved in front of the sun. Even Geb thought to see how the sky darkened, albeit very, very slowly. But at some point there was no doubt about that; he noticed that Ani now held Nergal's hand. Karzelek gripped Four-Leaf, but stood so close to Geb that he instinctively put his arm around his friend. Tense, everyone, Elmen and companions alike, looked ahead at Crescent Island while the sun, as Geb imagined it, was vanishing more and more behind the moon. He also felt that it was getting cooler as the darkness progressed. Sura was definitely glad about that, but even she was too nervous to make a comment. And then... the moment had come. Geb just saw Terrai continue to enlarge his stone platform to give everyone enough space for the upcoming events... then it went black. So black that Five cursed beside him - perhaps the magic of darkness prevented her from using her light. Even Perry's glow flickered briefly, but he struggled against the darkness and shone as before. Only Lumeon's light didn't disappear for a single second. If you could actually see the stars, nobody took a look. Too tense, they kept their eyes on the horizon to see the arrival of Umbrath, as impossible as it seemed in complete darkness. Of course, they wouldn't be able to see him during the total occlusion, but after that, Umbrath wouldn't be more powerful than Lumeon, would he? Then it would be bright enough to recognize the being that had been nothing but a repressed legend up to this very moment. The creature no one knew what it looked like - could they have asked the Keepers? Certainly, but there had always been more important topics. Geb didn't see Umbrath... but he was pretty sure he could hear him. There was a deafening noise from where Crescent Island lay, followed by something that sounded like something was collapsing. Or breaking - the way Acquois had told them? As if in confirmation, the Water Keeper's voice reached their heads, much softer and more forced than Geb was used to. "It is time. Umbrath is here." Category:Chapters Category:EE3 Chapters